Door-operating mechanism



Dec. 26., 1922.

1,440,055 D. W. CAMPBELL. Doon OP R 1| ME msm. Dalaman. :o c. 1920.

`Patented Dec. 26, 1922.

DAVID W. CAMPBELL, F MINNEAPGLIS, MINNESOTA.

DOORfOPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed December` 22, 1920, Serial No-I 432,428. `Renewed May 1S, 1922. Serial No. 562,041.

T o all whom t may concern Be it known that I, DAVID IV. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and "State of Minnesota, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Door- @perating Mechanism; and I do hereby declare Vvt'he following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention. such as will 'enable others skilled in the art to which it ppertains to make and use the same( his invention relates to a door operating mechanism, and particularly, to such 'a mechanism which is Aautomatically controlled by a motor. y

'It is an object of this invention to prol vide a door operating mechanism that is actuateidb'y an air motor, which motor is -controlled by suitable electricalv devices.`

It is a furtheobject of this invention to provide such a door operating mechanism' which will be locked With the .doors either in closed or open position and will remain in such locked position until again" actuated `by the electrical controller.

It is another object of the invention toV provide such a mechanism in which the mo.- mentum or inertia of the moving door is utilized to co-operate With the motor so that the door opening and closing operation takes place in one cycle of operation of the air motor.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear' from the fol'- ilowing description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the dili'erent views and in which, "it 'i v Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the delvice showing the doors to be operated in section; y

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the l device showing the same attached to a ceiling, the connection to the doors not being shown.; and f5.1

-Fig. 3 is a"par tial longitudinal section of one end of the air cylinder.

AThe invention herein described is an improvement in part upon the ymechanism disclosed and claimed in the patent to Steii'es No.-1,301,757, granted April 22nd, 1919, to

which patent references may be had for details of some of the parts herein generally illustrated.

prefer-abi Referring to the drawings,the doors to be opened are shown in horizontal section as 1 and 2. The complete doors thus comprise a pair of hinged doors, each Aof which is composedY of the members 1 or 2, which members are respectively hinged by the hinges 3 and 4. A stop -niembcr 5 is shown with which the doors contact when in closed position.

The door operatingv mechanism proper is connected to the ceiling or above the top o the doors, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This mechanism comprises a cylinder G in which slides a plunger 7 connected to a plu-nger rod The plunger 7 is adapted to be reciprocated in the cylinder 6 by air or other suitable Huid pressure and the cylinder is Aconnected to 'some convenient source of compnessedair or fluid supply by the AThis valve mechanism is similar to that shown inf the patent above referred to which is connected between the pipes 31,59 and 60, and is here not shown in detail. This valve mechanism is controlled by a lever 11, which lever is moved laterally by a solenoid 12 which includes an electrical circuit comprisin the conductors 13, which circuit is contro led by a push button 14. A rod 15 is connected at one end to a member 16 which engages and is moved by the valve controlling lever 11 when the same is moved laterally. This rod 15 is connected at its other end to a bell crank lever 16. This bell crank lever is pivoted to and carried by a bracket 17 depending from the ceiling or other convenientsupport, and this bracket also comprises a depending 111,9;17a which comprises .a support and guide for the outer end of the plunger rod 8. The bell crank V lever 16' carries, at 'the end of' one of its which is supported at one end byl otherwise reni-vd thereto. the other end of which rod fastened to a rrosshead .22 whit-h is rlamped und secured to the plunfer rod h. The ero hiad :l2 extends to each side oi' the rod H aud has pivotfetl at itsv ends,y iinks 22%. lhese links comprise rods of considerable extent which are pivoted at their other ends to .hraekets which are, in turn, lniitell to one of the doors 1 or 2 and. as illustrated. to the outer one of these doors. The hell rank 1G is normally held in the position shown in Fig. and will tend to resume this position h v the action of springs 16a and 1Gb whirh are connected to the ends thereof and to the veilingr or other support shown.

Asahove st-ated, the details ot' the air controller valve for the Cylinder are not herein shown. the same being;r illustrated in the patent above referred to. In Fig. 3, however. the air controller in the end ot' the c vlinder is shown` which differs from that shown in the said patent- In this gure, the cylinderhead 24 is connected to the inlet pipe :25 and the air enters the end of the cylinder behind the piston through ports 26 and 2T..

The port Q8 is also shown. which is similar to that shown in the patent. ln the eylil'i-Y der 24. a port Q9 is shown as communicating with the chamber which contains the hall cheek valve 30, and this port 29 communicates with another port 31 which, in turn,

enters and communicates with a port 26.4

Vl'ith this structure, when the plunger or piston 'i' passes the port 28. the air will he cut ott and escape through this port and will tend to pass out through the port 2T. The hall valve 3o will prevent said air from passing into the port 26 so that said air must pass through Ythe small port 29 and then through the gort 31 to enter the exhaust pipe A srrew .32 is shown which can he turned to regulate the opening from port 29 into .port 3l. The speed at. which the air van exhaust trom the end of the `cylinder after the valve 2S has been Closed can thus he regulated by adjustment of the screw 32. lvith this structure, the movement of the plunger or piston T to the end of the cylinder ran he nieelyf regulated and the doors will thus be hrought to open or elosed position gently and without undue jar or shoelz. ln the present` embodiment of the invention, the strut-turey shown in Fig. 3 is used oni)v at the right hand end of the cylinder. as shown in Figs. 1 and Ait. the left hand end ot the v vlinderthe port 12T is rontinued to eomninnirate direetly with the pipe 2 and the hall eherl; valve and relief pftssapgw` are omitted The tuieration of the devire is as follows:

Assuming` that the doors :trein eloseii position. :is shown in liigg. l. and the other parts of the device also as shown in Figs. l and i?. thi Niger l and har lll :1re held against u u'l ino-.ement hlv engage'- pressed.

ment 'ot' the roller 1H with'the end of har 19. To open the doors. the hutton 14 will now be Y Thisl will aetnate the solenoid 12. The. lever 11 will he pulled to the lett, as shown in Fig. l. This movement of the lever l1 will move rod lo to the le l't und swing hell eranlvY 1G so that roller 1H is swungr down; wurdly` oli' the end of hzir l5). Thisr move ment of levell 11 will also admit air into the right hund end ot elvlinder il and plunger 'i' and plunger rod 8 will move to the lett. together with rod 1U. and the roller 1H will roll into engagement with the hottom ot' the har 1l). The cross-head 22 also moved to the left and the links 23 will l'old the doors, 1 inwardly, as indieated h v dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the doors 2 will he similarly moved. This movement will eontinue until the roller 18 reaehesthe end oi hai lll. vhen the roller passes heyond the end ot the rod. it will he raised o v the tif-tion of .springs 1o and 1Gb. At this time, the doors l and 2 have heen folded and pulled hy the links 22% so that the same are approximately in alignment with said linksl or on :i dead center. The momentum ot' the swinging;- doors will. however, move the doors beyond this position. At this time. pioneer T also approximately at the end of its stroke. When thel roller 18 passes the end ot rod i9 it will he moved upward to the level or plane as .illustrated in Fig. 2. This will move the rodllto the right and plaee the lever ll in neutral position so that the air is shut olf from the right hand end ol' the rylinder. .is the doors swiingr hv their inerti-.i oi' momentum past the dead center` the liults 3:1 are pulled Slightly to the right. 'l`lii.-` movementwill move the har lil to the right and the beveled end thereoll will tani the roller 18 upwardly so that the saine will ride on the top of har 19. This4 movement will turthrl' move the rod 15 to tinI rieht :unl admit air into theleft hand end ol' the rylindwr, lise plunger 7 and piston rod H then iulnlwliateii' Start to move to the righi unil the doors and 2 having swung past thil dead renter. or the position of alignment with linlt,` '38. will now he pushed farther open hy the return movement ot tlie'se links. ld'hen ilu p|nnger 7 has reached the end oi' this ii-urtare in the right hand portion olV the evlinder. the doors will he at iinlimit ot the nuoveinent and the roller l. will again reaeh the end o'l the rod li? :nini he again moved hv spring 1G to itsA position as shown in Fig. 2. ln this posilion. the rod l is mou-il to ventral or neutral position. 7l`lninlet valve Jf'or the Cylinder is eiosed and the exhaust valves are open. and he valve plunger rod i8 and har 19 are lovin-d in position with the doors fully open. The loort* i renniiu in this position until thi huit/oiv ii i :Nain pressed and the op; ing movement oi' iii. was -i exactly the saine as with the opening movement, the doors swinging past the dead center and actuating the bell crank 16 and rod 15, as above described.

iVith the invention herein disclosed it will thus be seen that a single solenoid 12 is used in place of the double solenoid shown in the above referred to patent. It Will also be understood that where the double hinge doors have been shown, the device would work equally as well With a single hinge door, which door would operate past the dead center in the manner similar to that described for the doors herein illustrated.

From the above description it will be apparent that when the air motor comprisin plunger 7 and piston 8 is initially operate thel doors will be initially moved with the maximum turning force and with the full power of the motor. Thisturning force will decrease owing to the change in the leverage until the doors reach the dead center partially open position. After swinging past this position and the motor being reversed, the turning force Will then increase from the dead center position as the doors app-roach fully open position owin to the change in leverage of the links. As t e doors' approach completely open position the motor is cushioned at the end o'f its stroke so thatthe doors are brought positively and gently into the fully open position. I n closing the doors, thel operations will be reversed and the doorswill be positively moved to closed position, at which timethe motor will be cushioned. y

F rom the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a highly efficient door opening and Aclosing mechanism and one which can be readily and instantly controlled. By means of the check valve structure shown in Fig. 3, the doors are brought gently to open and closed position, and a. jar or shock usually incident to such movement is eliminated.

vWhile the device is shown disposed in a horizontal position, and suspended from above the doors, it will be understood that the same may be equally Well used in a vertical position and can also be used to operate doors other than doors swinging upon vertical pivots. i

It will also be understood that various changes may be made in t-heform, details and 'arrangementof the device W'ithout de` parting from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, Consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

That is claimed is:

1. A door opening and closing mechanism having in combination a 4means mounted for reciprocation, links pivoted to the same and pivoted at their other end to hinged doors, a

position in alinement with the links 'inl motor propelled plunger rod for reciprocating said means and a reversing means for said plunger rod and motor operated by the momentum of the doors as they swing past the dead center position in alignment with said links.

2. A device of the class described having in combination a movable member, links pivoted to the same and diverging therefrom and pivoted at their other ends to hinged doors, means Yfor moving said member in one direction to swing the doors into dead center position in alignment with said diverging links, valve mechanism for controlling said means, and a reversing mechanism for said valve mechanism operated by the doors as they swing past the dead center position by thelr acquired momentum.

3. A door opening and closing mechanism having in combinatlon reciprocatin means pivoted to said doors, means for locking said reciprocating means .in position With the doors closed or fully open, means for moving said recipr'ocatin nism for controlling said latter means, an electricalY means for opening the valve mechanism in one direction to move the locking means from locking position and to actuate the moving means 1n one direction, said valve mechanism beingmoved into position to actuate the moving means in the-other direction by mechanism actuated bythe inertia or momentum of the doors.

, 4. A device of the class described havin in combination a crosshead, links pivoted thereto and diverging therefrom and pivoted at their other ends to hinged doors, a cylinder, a plunger movable therein, a plunger rod connected to said plunger and to said cross-head, a valve mechanism for contro-lling a supply of motor Huid to said cylinder, electrical means for actuating said valve in one direction to admit fluid to one side of said plunger and move the crosshead to f swing the doors to partially open position, and mechanical means operated by the inertia'of said partially open doors to move the valvemechanism in another direction to admit fluid on the other side of the plunger which will move the crosshead and plunger in the other direction, whereby the pivoted links Will move the doors to fully open position.

5. device of the class'described having in combination a movable crosshead, links pivoted thereto and diverging therefrom and pivoted at their other ends to hinged doors, a longitudinally movable plunger rod connected to said crosshead, locking,r means for holding said crosshead in position with the doors either open or closed, means for moving said plunger rod in either direction, valve means for controlling said latter means, electrically operated means for actuating said valve mechanism, to unlock said means, avalve mecha-4 `locking means and to cause said moving means to be actuated in one direction, and

mechanical means comprising a bell crank lever connected to said valve mechanism actuated by the movement of said doors to move said valve mechanism to cause the moving means to be actuated in reverse direction to move said crosshead and to complete. the opening of said doors.

6.. A device ot' the class described having in combination` a reciprocating mcmber, means connected thereto and also connected to hinged doors, locking means for hohling said member in stationary position with the doors either fully closed or t'ully open, a motor for reciprocatingr said member, motor controlling mechanism, means for moving said motor controlling mechanism to one. position so that the motor Will move said member in one direction, and means operated by the movement of the doors to move said controlling mechanism to another position so that the motor Will move said member in another direction to complete the openingV movement of said doors.

7. .X device of the class described having in combination a reciprocating member, links pivoted to said melnber and diverging therefrom and pivotcd at their other ends to hinged doors, an air cylinder, a plunger movable therein, a plunger rod connected thereto and to said reciprocating member, a bai connected to' said plunger rod and movable therewith, valve mechanism movable to positions to admit air into either end of said cylinder, a pivoted bell crank lever, a roller carried thereby. means for holding the lever in position with the roller contacting with the end of said bar to hold the same and the reciprocating member in sta.- tionary position, a conncctionl'between said lever and the valve mechanism, 'means for moving the valve mechanism to one position.

lo admit air into one end of the cylinder and to move said lever and rolicr through the above mentioned connection. and means on the end of said bar for moving said lever and roller by the inertia of the partially open doors to move the valve mechanism to position to admit air into the other end` of the cylinder to move the reciprocatingmember in the opposite direction whereby the doors are moved to fully open position by the said links.

8. A device of the class described comprising a tluid cylinder, a plunger therein. a plunger rod connected thereto. a member connected to said plunger rod. a bar carried hv said member and plunger rod and movable therewith, valve mechanism For controlling the supp ot fluid tV -aid cylinder, i pixoted hell crank inver i ving means in one ond thereof normally ci jing the end of said har to hold the nrw and said triunfar ont in stationary pwnion. 'i connection between said lever and said valve mechanism, means for moving said valve mechanism to admit fluid into one end of said cylinder and to swing said lever and means thereon out of engagement with the end ot said bar, spring means for holding said lever in normal. position, and means on the other end of said har for swinging said lever and means thereon to move the valve mechanism to position to admit air into the other end oi said cylinder, said latter means being actuated by the inertia of said member.

9. A device ot the class described comprising a fluid cylinder, a plunger movable therein, a plunger rod connected to said plunger and movable therewith, valve mechanism for controlling the supply of liuid to said cylinder,` and a locking and controlling' means for said plunger` and plunger rod comprising a bell crank lever having a roller at one end thereof, and a. rod connecting the other ond thereof to said valve mechanism, a bar connected to said plunger rod and movable therewith. spring means i'or holding said lever with thc roller normally engaging the end of said bar, said bar being beveled at its other end to move said rollerupivardly when the same is in engagement therewith.

lll. 'A door opening and closing mechanism having in combination a fluid cylinder. a plunger therein, a plunger rod con- "nected to said plunger, a member connected of fluid to said cylinder, air cimductors be-V tween said vaivc mechanism and said cylinder conqn'ising a. member spaced from (me end ot said cylinder and having a port therein communicating with said cylinder and said air conduit` a cylinder head connected to said conduit, a port in, said cylinder head, a check valve therein, a smaller port connecting said conduit to the check valve chamber, and means for adjusting the sim` of said smaller port.

ll. 'lhe combination with the valve mechanism, cylinder and plunger rod of an air motor, a lmfltingr and controlling mechanism comprising a fiat bar connected to said plunger rod and movable therewith, a pivoted bell crank lever having a roller at one end thereof. spring means for normallv holding said roller in position with said roller in engagement with the end of said bar, connections between the other cnd of said lever and the alvc mechanism for swinging said roller ont of engagement with the rnd oi said bar whereby thiYA roller will contini with the .iovv'cr edge o!i :said liar when the same is recioocsled, said har ha ing its othei .l beveled whorol.` mii he raised in v the said wiring enit! hij-veled portion. I'"d" with the top edge of said bar when the bar is moved in a reverse direction 12. A door opening and closing mechanism having in ing member, links pivo'ted to said member, and diverging therefrom and pivoted at their other end to swinging doors, and electrically controlled air operated means to reciprocate said member in one-direction to partially open said doors and in the opposite direction to completely open said doors.

said doors moving the said links past the position in which the doors are partially opened by their momentum.

13. A door opening and closing mechanism havin in combinaton a reciprocating crosshead, links pivoted to the same and diverging therefrom and pivoted at their other ends to hinged doors, and means for reciprocating said crosshead in one direction to swing the doors into substantial alignment with the linksfsubstantially into a dead center position and in the other direction to complete the opening or closing movement of said doors said `links being carried past said dead center position by the momentum of said doors.

14. A door openin and closing nellanism having incomination a reciprocating means, members pivoted thereto and to hinged doors, and means for moving said reciprocating means, first in one direction to move the doors to -p'artiall open position, and then in the opposite irection to completely open or close the same said members being carried past their position when the doors are in partially open position by the inertia of said doors.

15. A door opening mechanism having in combination a means mounted for movement in reverse directions, means pivoted thereto andA also apivoted to hinged doors. a motor for moving said first mentioned means in one direction to partially open said doors, and in the other direction to completely open said doors, said second mentioned means being moved past its posi tion in which the doors are partially open by the momentum of said doors.

16. A door opening mechanism having combination a reciprocate* in pombination a member mounted for reverse movements, means connected thereto and to: hinged doors by a Hexible connection.

a compressed air motor connected to said memberfor moving the same in one direction to partially open said doors and in :i reverse direction to completely open said doors, said means being r'ovahle past its position in which the doors aire partially open by the momentum of said doors.

17. The structure set forth in claim 16, and a remote electrical control for said compressed air motor.

18. A door operating mechanism having in combination a member movable in opposite. directions, means pivoted thereto and to swinging door and an air motor for moving said member in one direction to partially open the doors, said parts being so constructed and arranged that the doors are' initially open with a maximum turningr force which decreases until the doors are partially open in a dead center position. Said doors swinging the said means past Said dead center position by their acquired momentum, said motor then Amoving the member in the opposite direction to completely open said doors, the turning force increasing from a dead center position until the doors are fully open, and means for cushioning the doors as the same reach fully open position.

19. The combination with a. hinged door comprising a plurality of hinged sections, of an operating mec anism comprisin(r a reciprocating means and a link pivoted to said means and to one of said sections adjacent its outer hinged ed e whereby'the door can be partially openedgor partially closed and the door partially folded or unfolded by one stroke of said reciprocating means.

and completely opened or closed and completely folded or unfolded. respectively, by the opposite stroke of said reciprocating means, said folding sec-tions preventing interference of said link and door.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature. l

DAVID vv. CAMPBELL. 

